U.K.’s Metal Hammer magazine recently got the chance to chat to SLIPKNOT and SCAR THE MARTYR drummer Joey Jordison and asked him for his thoughts on some of metal’s big-hitters that have been grabbing headlines this year. Here’s what he had to say.

On AVENGED SEVENFOLD:

Jordison: “Honestly, I don’t own any AVENGED SEVENFOLD records and I’ve not heard the new record. I’ve read about comparisons to METALLICA on the new record, and I guess there’s a certain controversy around that, but I’ve not paid that much attention to it. Nothing against them, I’m not knocking them, but I was just never a fan: not that they’re bad, they’re just one of those bands that kinda bypassed me.”

On METALLICA:

Jordison: “That’s the fucking band. Without METALLICA, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing. I have every METALLICA record, of course, and I would spend hours on drums in my parents’ basement, with the stereo behind me, cranking those records and learning Lars‘ [Ulrich] drum beats, beat by beat. And nowadays, for me, METALLICA can do whatever the fuck they want. I’m not sure that ‘Lulu’ is something I’d be getting into, but METALLICA have a free pass from me to do anything, I can’t really knock anything they do. I mean [LED] ZEPPELIN and THE WHO passed the torch to METALLICA; they’re that band for our generation. Everything they do now is going to be met with a little bit of a backlash just because they’re so big, but without METALLICA, there would be no heavy bands, hardly. People have a hard time saying that, and obviously there’s a ton of other great bands, but there’s a reason that they’re huge and have been able to expand their audience to millions and millions and millions of people. I have nothing but praise for them.”

On BLACK SABBATH:

Jordison: “Proper SABBATH is SABBATH with Bill Ward. I’m sorry, it just is. Bill Ward is one of the most underrated drummers ever — the dude is fucking unreal, such a great, great player. And I just can’t bring myself to see SABBATH without Bill Ward, because he was such an integral part of that band. He’s like John Bonham or Keith Moon, one of those drummers who made the drum parts of those classic songs just as special as the guitar riffs or the vocals. I respect those guys doing what they’re doing, but sorry, count me out.”

DYING FETUS‘ latest album, “Reign Supreme”, sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 186 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 5 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

DYING FETUS‘s previous collection of original material, “Descend Into Depravity”, opened with around 2,700 units to land at No. 166.

Released on June 19, 2012 via Relapse Records, “Reign Supreme” was recorded at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore with longtime producer Steve Wright (SLIPKNOT, MISERY INDEX). It will feature nine tracks and is “a ‘return to roots,’ with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band’s last few works,” according to a press release. “Thematically, the album is set to be a good old-fashioned piece of social and political commentary in the style of DYING FETUS as we have come to know.”

Commented DYING FETUS guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher: “The last album had some groove in it, but [it] was basically a lot of tech; this one is a return to form of older DYING FETUS albums, so to speak — more modern production, though, of course. Everything’s tight, the sound is crushing, the drums are amazing.”

SLIPKNOT and SCAR THE MARTYR drummer Joey Jordison was interviewed on the August 30 – September 1 edition of Full Metal Jackie‘s nationally syndicated radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

Full Metal Jackie: You’re constantly playing in different bands and musical projects. Is it simply passion, or does compulsive-obsession better describe your 24-7 immersion in music?

Joey: I think both do. It is passion and it is an addiction. The thing about doing [SCAR THE MARTYR] is, with SLIPKNOT‘s time off, I was compiling so many songs that I had so much material. I just wanted to see what else I can do, and I just stayed in the studio. So, I just started compiling a bunch of songs that didn’t really have a home, until I decided to start thinking about who I’d like to have play and perform on the stuff, and that’s when I started thinking about making it a full-time thing.

Full Metal Jackie: Joey, as the songs developed, what became most important for you to do with SCAR THE MARTYR that you haven’t done with any other band or project?

Joey: That’s a good question. I wanted to know and work on the different influences I’ve had from the post-punk movement, and meshing that with a lot of droning tones as well that I’ve never experimented with. I wanted it to be really hypnotic, but in a vocal sense, I wanted it to have a lot of melody, especially chorus. I wanted to encompass all the heavy stuff too, but I wanted it sounding completely unique. So, when I was looking for vocalists, a friend of mine recommended Henry Derek, and I sent him “Blood Host”, “Dark Ages”, “Soul Disintegration”, “Never Forgive Never Forget”, “Last Night On Earth” — those are a few of the titles from the record — and he instantly got them back to me. When I first heard “Dark Ages”, I think that was the first song that he sent; it was everything I was looking for. It was perfect. So, from then is when I think I started taking it really seriously, because sometimes vocalists are one of the harder things to find — especially someone who sounds fresh and exciting. After that, Henry and I started exchanging songs and working on everything, I went in the studio and started the record.

Full Metal Jackie: Joey, [SCAR THE MARTYR is] going to be doing this tour through the end of August with DANZIG and HUNTRESS. Are you a Danzig fan?

Joey: I’m a big Danzig fan, yes.

Full Metal Jackie: Have you ever toured with him before?

Joey: Never have, no. We had one show in now, but we’re glad to be a part of the tour. It’s special because it’s 25 years; [former MISFITS guitarist] Doyle is also playing with him. It’s the perfect tour for us. We couldn’t ask or anything better. They’re treating us very well so far. It’s been a great tour to be on. We’re so lucky and grateful to have the opportunity to get our music out to Danzig fans. Hopefully fans of all our other projects will dig it too, from all the other guys’ bands that we play in. It’s a great opportunity. We’re having a great time so far.

Full Metal Jackie: Rhys Fulber is highly regarded for his work with FEAR FACTORY and FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY. What do you hear in his work that made it so important that he should produce SCAR THE MARTYR?

Joey: It was a weird thing. I had a bunch of producers I was looking at. I had my choice of a lot of people. First of all, I wanted to work with someone I had never worked with before. Also, I wanted to work with someone I think would capture the sound I’m looking for. Of course I’m a FEAR FACTORY fan; I love his work. Also, he’s doing the new MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE record too, so he crosses a lot of barriers. He’s very good a honing in on the drum sound I want, keeping the guitars super heavy and tight. Even with the low tuning, he really captured it perfectly. He really pushed Henry and got a great vocal performance from him. I couldn’t be happier with him. Rhys did an amazing job.

Full Metal Jackie: The album won’t be out until October but again; you’ll be spending [August] on tour supporting DANZIG. Is there exhilaration or a rush to performing new music for an audience completely unfamiliar with it?

Joey: Yeah, it is cool. It almost pushes you harder a little bit. Right now, they’re deer in headlights. What’s this sound? Who are all these people? This guys from this band, it’s an overload to people right now. Plus not having the record out, there’s not a lot to latch on to besides “Blood Host”. It was cool, after we finished the first few songs; we run a lot of songs back to back. When we had some breaks the other night, in between songs the crowd was really receptive. That’s a good starting point. We’re working and we’re here for the long haul. So, we’re proud of the record and can’t wait to get it out to as many people as possible.

Mick of Motorcityblog.net conducted an interview with the Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE on August 22 in Saginaw, Michigan. You can now watch the chat below.

QUEENSRŸCHE‘s new, self-titled album sold around 13,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 25 via Century Media Records.

“Frequency Unknown”, the latest album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, opened with around 5,500 units to debut at No. 82.

“Queensrÿche” marks the debut release from the lineup comprised of La Torre (vocals; ex-CRIMSON GLORY), Michael Wilton (guitar), Parker Lundgren (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums). The drums for the album were recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, Washington with producer James “Jimbo” Barton — the man who engineered and mixed the band’s classic 1988 LP, “Operation: Mindcrime”, and its 1990 follow-up, “Empire”, and co-produced 1994’s “Promised Land”. The rest of the music and vocals were laid down at several different facilities on the West Coast. The cover artwork was created by Craig Howell, who has previously worked on designs for “Star Wars”, SLIPKNOT and “American Idol”, to name a few.

Quality fan-filmed video footage of DYING FETUS‘ August 25 performance at Foufounes Électriques in Montreal, Quebec, Canada can be seen below.

DYING FETUS‘ latest album, “Reign Supreme”, sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 186 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 5 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

DYING FETUS‘s previous collection of original material, “Descend Into Depravity”, opened with around 2,700 units to land at No. 166.

Released on June 19, 2012 via Relapse Records, “Reign Supreme” was recorded at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore with longtime producer Steve Wright (SLIPKNOT, MISERY INDEX). It will feature nine tracks and is “a ‘return to roots,’ with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band’s last few works,” according to a press release. “Thematically, the album is set to be a good old-fashioned piece of social and political commentary in the style of DYING FETUS as we have come to know.”

Commented DYING FETUS guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher: “The last album had some groove in it, but [it] was basically a lot of tech; this one is a return to form of older DYING FETUS albums, so to speak — more modern production, though, of course. Everything’s tight, the sound is crushing, the drums are amazing.”

STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor‘s recently published book, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Heaven (Or, How I Made Peace With The Paranormal And Stigmatized Zealots And Cynics In The Process)”, chronicles Taylor‘s experiences with the paranormal and his quest to find an explanation for such incidents. Taylor told The Pulse Of Radio that he decided to seek out answers after too many strange things happened to him and around him. “It’s amazing what people will come up with to rationalize something that can’t be rationalized,” he said. “Look, if something has a definite, real explanation, I’m the first to go, ‘Oh, OK, that makes sense.’ But some things cannot be explained, like a thermos being thrown behind me when I’m the only one awake in the house at seven in the morning. The list goes on and on for me, you know, so it’s like, it’s time for me to start kind of figuring things out for myself.”

Taylor said he sought out insight from so-called “ghost hunters,” skeptics and religious leaders while working on the book.

“A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Heaven” landed at No. 23 earlier this month on the New York Times “Hardcover Non-fiction” best sellers list, three positions higher than his first memoir, 2011’s “Seven Deadly Sins”.

Taylor told The Pulse Of Radio recently that his next book may be a collection of columns he’s written over the past 12 years for U.K. magazine Rock Sound, while his fourth book may be his first attempt at a novel.

While STONE SOUR plans to take the rest of the year off, Taylor will perform with SLIPKNOT on October 19 in Brazil. The band will then begin putting music together for its long-awaited fifth album in early 2014.